A Bond Unchanged
---- The orange light from the rising sun broke through the crack in the curtains, lightly illuminating the bedroom in the soft glow of the early morning light. Izar's eyes opened slowly, closing again as they came in contact with the burning orange before allowing them to adjust and open them once more. His gaze fell on the sight of his wife, her quiet breaths an indication that she remained asleep but he knew she too would likely be waking soon. A soft smile forms on his face at the sight of his peacefully sleeping wife, bring up his hand to run gently down her forearm tucked neatly against her body as to rest one of her hands under her cheek. The scars that ran now her otherwise perfect skin would be a lasting reminder of the events that took place several months ago when Shattered Dusk had come so close to taking everything away from them. He quickly shook away the thoughts, finding no joy in recalling his own weakness and inability to protect Theia from the monsters that tried to control her. He let out a pleasant sigh before leaning in to press a chaste kiss on the forehead of his beloved before rolling over to sit on the side of the bed with a slight creak that he knew would wake the woman who loved to wake with the rising sun. Theia cracked out a tired smile as she felt the gentle pressure of Izar's lips against her forehead; her body stirring awake at the sound of the floors creak and the influx of cold air at his absence away from her body. Opening her eyes gently she let out a quick yawn before getting up on her knees and moving over on the mattress so she could wrap her arms around Izar's chest and lean her body against his. "Good morning love," She said while peppering a few quick kisses on his neck before resting her head on his shoulder. "how did you sleep? Hopefully no more nightmares?" She asked, knowing that the events of a few months ago still seemed to plague both their minds and rob them of a good night sleep. Just thinking about it made her feel a bit sick to her stomach, and almost pushed her out of the bed and running for the bathroom just to get rid of the nauseating feeling. The returning feeling of warmth he felt as Theia pressed herself against him served to further his wishes to return to bed with his beloved but the responsibilities of the day called to them both and locked away the chance of rest beside one another again until later that evening. The peppering kisses against his neck served wonders to get his blood pumping in ways only Theia could and banished the sleep from his eyes. He turned his head slightly to kiss her good morning and hoped his morning breath wouldn't keep her away, "No nightmares this time. At least, none that I can remember so I slept well." He spoke, resting his head softly against her own. "What about yourself, Dear? Were your dreams pleasant?" He knew the nightmares had been affecting both of them but luckily they seemed to fade with time, becoming less frequent as the two continued to return to their normal lives as husband and wife. Theia hummed softly as her husband kissed her and rested his head against her own, but something still felt a bit odd in the pit of her stomach. "Yes they were. I actually had a funny dream about...Hmph, hold on..." She began, before a somewhat familiar sensation rose up in her stomach, making her mouth slightly water as if it was preparing to protect her throat from what was to come. Moving her hand to cover her lips as she got up as quick as lightning and raced over to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as she dropped down to her knees. The slight panic in her eyes faded as she leaned over the toilet and felt her body convulse as she threw up into the bowl. Her stomach lurched and gurgled, but her mind ran with a flurry of what could possibly lead to such an unpleasant way to start the morning. She hadn't drank in quite some time, so it was clear that is wasn't a hangover; and the food she had eaten last night was prepared to perfection by Izar, and there was no real possibility it was food poisoning. There was one real possibility that stirred in her mind that could be the cause of this morning nausea, and she felt a slight excitement at the idea, but knew she had to be certain. Her head began to slightly hurt as she could sense that she was dehydrated from having not eaten or drank anything since the sun had just risen. Turning the handle on the sink she wiped her face and rinse out her mouth, but her stomach still felt a little unsteady. Rummaging through the bottom drawer of their sink counter, Theia finds a small rectangular box and begins to unwrap the small stick that could confirm for her if this sickness was really what she had been hoping for all this time. Izar had no time to respond as Theia cut off and bolted toward the bathroom, the door slamming behind her with a loud bang that echoed through the apartment only to be quickly replaced with the retching sounds of his beloved heaving as she began to hurl. Izar quickly jumped to his feet to follow her, concerned for Theia's wellbeing. He knocked hurriedly on the bathroom door, the sounds of puking having faded into little more than heavy breaths behind the wooden door. "Theia, what's the matter? Do need anything? Some medicine? A glass of water? Are you okay in there?" Izar did his best to keep his voice calm despite his bombardment of questions in hopes of not further worrying his possibly ill wife. The only response he received was the sound of rustling on the other side of the door as if Theia were going through something. Since the sound of puking had stopped, he decided not to knock again, knowing she'd heard him before and instead leaning against the wall beside the door to wait for her to exit. "I'm fine babe, just give me a sec." she says as she clicks the cap back on the at home test and stared at it intensely as she waited for either one or two lines to pop up on the little window on the stick. Her heart was racing and beat in tune with her tapping fingers in the bathroom counter as she started to see the blue line pop up after a minute or so. It was true that it had been almost two weeks since her last period, but with all the stress she had undergone, she just assumed that it was the reason for her always fluctuating time of the month. Her eyes began to tear up as she saw the second blue line appear clearly on the test, Theia having to take a few second before she truly processed that the test had just told her the greatest news she could have possibly asked for. Not wanting to keep Izar worried, Theia grabs the stick and opens up the door, holding it up for Izar to see as she choked out, "I'm pregnant. Izar...We're going to have a baby..." she said as joyful tears began to run down her cheeks. It took Izar a few moments to process the words of his wife, her mood having changed as she seemed to be nearly jumping for joy now. His eyes widening as he registered her words, the sight of the positive test in her hands further solidifying the fact in his mind that they would be parents soon. A large grin forms on his face at the wonderful news that made his heart pound with immense happiness and excitement at the road he and Theia's relationship would now travel as parenthood became their next destination. moving forward, he pulled his wife into a hug, "That's wonderful news! We're going to be parents!" He said as he tightened the hug ever so slightly on his pregnant wife. "It's true, it's so hard to believe but it's really true. We're going to have a baby, we're going to be parents." He spoke with joy present in his voice before releasing Theia but leaving his hands on her shoulders. "Wow, I mean, nine months, that's so short. There's a lot we need to get done before then. I mean, we need to get a nursery set up, a crib, a bassinet, baby clothes, toys for when they're old enough to play with them. Well, I guess most of that has to wait until we know if the baby is a boy or a girl but finding stores that sell these things would probably be best." He said, beginning to ramble to himself halfway through before he turned his attention back to Theia, his grin softening into a warm smile. "We're going to have a family, Theia. You, me, and our baby. There's nothing in this world that could make me happier in this moment. Thank you." The way her husband's face lit up, and feeling how excited and happy he was to be a father served to send joy straight through Theia's soul; so much so that she could feel her bones tingling with elation. Happiness flowed through her, warming her skin like the rays of the early autumn sun, as the thoughts of their future family was now becoming a reality. Theia gave a giggle as she watched Izar spin out into what she could only describe as "eager dad mode", but it only made her feel that much more love for the man because she knew that her overflowing heart was eager to take on the challenge of raising a kid, and with a man like Izar by her side it would be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things she had ever done. Moving to set the test back on the counter in the bathroom, Theia moved slowly towards Izar before getting up on her tip toes and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well don't thank me, you did half the work silly." She said though a radiant smile as her excitement was finally lowering enough where she could function normally. "Nothing could make me happier than to have a little one of our own and finally have the family we have been praying for. And trust me, the 'dad' title already fits you so well." She said with a laugh as she bopped her finger on his nose as she moves back into the bathroom. "Well I would kiss you, but what I'm guessing was morning sickness is still heavy on my tongue, so I am going to brush my teeth. But how about I meet you out in the kitchen for some breakfast while we talk about these stores we need to find for the baby's things?" She asked, the feeling of the word "baby" rolling off her tongue keeping her heart beating with the inherent joy of becoming a mother in nine short months. The lavender haired man couldn't help but blush at Theia's gesture, telling him he already fit the Dad title. The words warming his heart and furthering his excitement for the family he and Theia would raise together. "You're going to be a wonderful mother, Theia, there isn't a single doubt in my mind. I'll be sure to make a breakfast fit for a beautiful mother-to-be, just come to the kitchen when you're ready." Izar said, leaving his wife to continue her morning while he made his way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Using his lacrima phone, he looked up some ideas that might cure his wife of her morning sickness. He wanted to do his best to play his part in supporting Theia through both the good and not so good parts of the commitment the two had entered together. Finding one he thought would be quick and easy on her stomach, he got to work. As he waited for the pan to heat, his eyes wandered to the living room, scouting out areas where their family photos might hang in the future. He knew he was thinking too far ahead with everything else that needed to be prepared but he couldn't help it, not when their dream was finally coming true, not after all the time he's waited to have a family of his own. The small breakfast was quickly prepared, eggs on toast, a meal he read contained the necessary nutrients to help cure morning sickness and believed it was worth a try if it meant Theia might not have to spend every morning leaning over the toilet bowl. Setting the plates on the table and pouring the two glasses of orange juice he began to clean while he waited for Theia. With the minty freshness of toothpaste now reminiscent in her mouth Theia smiles brightly at her reflection in the mirror, as the joy of motherhood would greatly outweigh the sickness she would feel for this small fraction of her life. Putting her hair up into a quick bun, Theia's growling stomach beckons her to the kitchen, her nose filled with the savory scent of eggs and toast wafting through the air. She couldn't resist the delightful sensations that whipped up inside her memory at the thought of Izar's cooking, and so she walked fast to the table just at the mere thought of delving her teeth deep and fast into the crispy toast. She sat down and took a bit before even saying a word, letting off an audible "Mmmm, that hit the spot," through her food-filled mouth. Taking a quick sip of orange juice, giving a slight grimace as the taste mixed with the remaining taste of toothpaste in her mouth, she locks eyes on her husband. "Thank you for making breakfast babe. So I was thinking, and I know it might be cheesy, but the first thing I want to buy is a mobile for the baby's crib. Something like the solar system, or stars with a big sun in the middle! Because that would kind of represent us and our magic abilities, you know? Plus it would be cute..." She said with a slight giggle as her enthusiasm leaks out of her. Izar smiled as he finished wiping down the stove before moving over to sit across from Theia, happy to see her enjoying his cooking as though it were just another day. " A star or planetary mobile? That sounds like a really cute idea. That's something we should definitely keep an eye out for while we're shopping for baby things. If we can't find one I'm sure we could make something similar. Let them know we're always watching over them, even if they won't actually understand the context until they're older." A slight chuckle escaping his lips at the thought. "Now that I can think straight, I realized that before we buy anything we should probably let our friends know about the pregnancy? I don't think it should be some kind of big party or anything but at least sending out cards or inviting them to a small get together to make the big announcement would be nice. It's our first child after all, I'm sure they'll be excited to learn about our big step forward. I know Phobos will be." He looked at his wife with a loving admiration in his eyes, the thought of seeing her surrounded by the congratulations of loved ones while wearing the proud smile of a mother-to-be filled his heart with further pride in his marriage. His eyes never left her as he bit into his toast before washing it down with a swig of his orange juice. "I know you said I did half the work but I can't help but feel my few minutes every night for the past few weeks isn't the same as nine months of carrying the baby in your stomach. So I still want to work hard to be able to say I did half the work in this pregnancy so never hesitate to ask me or ask me for anything, no matter how trivial you think it might sound. Once the cravings kick in, you can ask me for pickles and peanut butter or some weird flavor of ice cream at three in the morning whenever you like. You've got a master chef on call 24/7 and making weird concoctions might be a lot of fun." He winked at her, wanting to be as big a help with everything she'll be going through as he can. Theia nodded her head along with the words of her husband, excited to send out baby announcements to their friends and family. Though Theia and Izar both had lost a great deal of their family, they surrounded themselves with close friends that filled the roles in their heart. But now that they truly had someone that they would be able to call their own flesh and blood, Theia couldn't help but beam with pride at the thought. She let out a laugh at the mention of weird food concoctions, knowing that she may come up with some odd ones down the line, but the ones her husband thought of were pretty far out there. Wiping the crumbs from her face to fall on the empty plate in front of her, Theia spoke with glee apparent in her voice, "Don't worry babe, I will be sure to as for your help. I am not going to lie, but I am a bit nervous as to what pregnancy will do to my stomach; I mean I already have morning sickness, who knows what foods it will take away from me too. So Mr Master Chef, I'm pretty positive I will be asking for some odd and complicated orders down the line." She said with a giggle, standing up and grabbing her plate to bring to the sink. She looks at the time on the clock and notes that she needs to be getting ready to head to work, as she had a lot of work to catch up on already from her time spent recovering from her injuries. Quickly rinsing off the plate before putting it in the dishwasher, she then turns back towards the table to give Izar a hug on his back while leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm sorry to say that I really should be getting ready for work, and same goes for you, but I do want to continue this talk later this evening. I'm so happy that we are going to finally be a real family with a kid of our own...I couldn't feel more blessed to share this with you." she said as she gives one more kiss for good measure before releasing her hold and beginning to walk back towards their bedroom. "And just so you know, I am definitely going to be sharing this news with everyone at my guild, so don't hesitate to do the same. It's too exciting to be kept inside until we send out announcements, you know?" She said with a radiant smile. Izar nodded, finishing off his meal before following in Theia's footsteps to rinse off his plate and place it in the dishwasher. Once he'd finished cleaning the kitchen he took his wife's advice and began to get ready for work. He wondered how he would tell his friends that his wife was pregnant and how he should do it if he should do it at all until he visited Onibus to tell his guild of the news first. Wiping away the steam that blanketed the bathroom mirror, he stared back at himself for the first time in quite awhile. For the longest time, even after meeting Theia, there were days where he didn't dare look at himself in the mirror as he was unable to face himself. But now, as the familiar man stared back at him there was a sense of pride welling deep within him. Regardless of his past mistakes, or the things he still disliked about himself, over the last few years he'd become a man he could be proud of and now that same man was about to be a father. He could be proud of his name and his accomplishments, proud of the family he and his wife would nurture and grow together. A wide smile spread across his face as the mirror began to fog again, the last sight before it disappeared being that of his own happiness. Letting out a pleasant sigh, Izar left the bathroom to find Theia getting her shoes on. "I'll bring something to Kairos for lunch. All I have is some paperwork today so I should be home in time to make dinner, I hope you like curry." He said cheerfully as he slipped on his own shoes, adjusting his uniform shirt before turning back to his wife and leaning down to place a kiss on her lips. "I'll try even harder now that I'm cooking for three so your taste buds best prepare, you haven't seen anything yet." He spoke with a wink, opening up the door and letting in the bright morning light. Category:Fairy Tail: Eclipse